Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 December 2016
488. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the outcome of the round-table meeting of European Ministers for health and pharmaceutical companies in Lisbon on 7 December 2016; the main outcomes and action points of the meeting; if any bilateral or follow-up meetings were arranged arising from this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39951/16]
View answerI participated in the second Round Table meeting for European Health Ministers and CEOs/Heads of Europe-based pharmaceutical companies, co-organised by Portugal and the Netherlands, in Lisbon on 7th December 2016. This meeting afforded me a very good opportunity to engage with Ministers from other member states on the key issues of access to and affordability of new and innovative medicines and to discuss further the potential for collaboration between Ireland and other member states.
I took the opportunity to raise directly the situation of Orkambi, and the manner in which the company was treating patients and their families in Ireland. I also spoke on the margin of the meeting with the Dutch Health Minister regarding Orkambi and the potential for collaboration at official level between Ireland, the Netherlands and others in relation to the reimbursement of medicines.
